Dear readers,

Perhaps it is because I live in Minnesota, but spring is my favorite season. With the melting of the snow, and the closing of the outdoor ice rinks, the new season tends to change my attitude for the better. I become filled with hope and energy as it is a time for growth and renewal.   

I trust the new season infuses hope and enthusiasm into every organization. As people remain the focus of the training profession, we should be mindful of all of the opportunities we have to help foster development, build teams, motivate and encourage associates and lead our organizations. The articles selected for this issue are here to inspire and guide you in that quest.

Laws of Learning: 14 Important Principles Every Trainer Should Know
By Dr. Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan

In the following article, Thiagi, long-time industry guru, author and presenter, offers 14 principles of learning. These are presented by learning category including: adult learning, general public learning and finally learning for all creatures - great and small. The laws of learning are occasionally ignored. However, when they are understood and applied in whatever training setting, you will find them valuable guides. (Learn More)

Aligning Learning With Strategy
By Cassandra A. Frangos

CLOs are pressured to justify their investments in learning. A CLO always has to answer the CEO's questions: Why should we invest in this learning program, and how will it help us execute our strategy? And how can we measure the return on this investment? Very few organizations have a good approach to align learning investments to strategy and to measure the extent to which these investments support the strategy. Learning is an intangible asset, and intangible assets are difficult to measure. There is no common approach to show how learning programs align with strategic priorities. (Learn More)

The "10 Most Wanted" Motivation Killers
By Richard E. Clark, EdD, CPT

A number of polls have described a dismal level of motivation in many organizations. Eighty-four percent of workers in a variety of industries admit that they could work much harder. About 50% confess that they only work as hard as they must to keep their jobs. In the typical work setting, individuals contribute an average of about 30% less when they are on a team than they do when working by themselves-a phenomenon known as "social loafing." (Learn More)



Building Your In-House Change Resources to Maximize Your ROI from Change
By Linda Ackerman Anderson and Dean Anderson

In nine out of ten organizations, internal change resources are either under-trained, under-supported, or under-utilized. In many cases, this costs their organizations millions of dollars, and makes these companies over-reliant on external consultants. Worse yet, it creates future hardships with their change initiatives in a business climate where the ability to change quickly is paramount. In this article, we will outline how to build your critical internal change resources and dramatically increase your organization's change capability and ROI from change. (Learn More)



Training Is for Dogs -  Use educational programs to enhance contact center agents' attitudes and skills
By Lior Arussy

All too often training programs represent a set of restrictions that tie the hands of contact center agents and other customer-facing employees, and provide the best excuse why not to service customers well. Built with control in mind, these training programs are about following procedures and adhering to guidelines. They send a message that the procedures are what matter. Rarely do we see principles-based education that allows employees to use common sense to solve the customers' problems, and deliver a pleasing experience. (Learn More)

What's New?

Last Chance! 2004 ASTD BEST Awards Call for Applications
To apply for the 2004 ASTD BEST Awards, organizations must complete an online application on how they leverage learning through quantitative and qualitative approaches and measures. Submissions are reviewed by the ASTD BEST Awards evaluation committee comprised of experts in the profession and ASTD staff. The winning organizations will be featured in T+D magazine in its October issue and honored at a special event in Fall 2004. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2004, at midnight EST.  Click here for details

Training Magazine announces the TOP 100 Training Organizations
Congratulations are sent to the winners of Training magazine's TOP 100 companies. "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." If this oft-used phrase is true, then this year's Training Top 100 companies have the management of workforce development programs down to a science. While many companies continue to slash training budgets in the naïve hope of improving the bottom line, these 100 companies invested nearly $7 million-on average, 4.1 percent of their payroll-in bettering the professional and personal lives of their employees. By doing so, the 2004 Top 100 have gained a sustainable advantage over their competition by boosting key business metrics-revenue, productivity and quality, to name a few-through highly focused and tightly managed training programs. Click here to read the full article

Training 2004 Session Handouts Available
At the recently concluded Training 2004 Conference and Exposition, a number of the event's session handouts have been made available. Visit VNU Learning to see more about the event, or click here for the link to the handouts available.

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